National Grief Week
National Grief week is 2nd - 8th December 2023. The purpose of the week is to help encourage and support an understanding and empathy regarding those who are grieving in a safe and open space.
The grieving process can be such a difficult time for anyone who has experienced a loss. We all manage and deal with grief in our own way but sadly not always encouraged or supported to discuss our loss. Grief is a natural response we will all experience at some time in our lives. There are five stages associated with grief; denial - the disbelieve the person we care about and love has gone, anger - this might be towards the person who has died, or the event or contributing factor or person as to why our love one has died, bargaining - is where is aim to make deals with ourselves or ask ‘what if’ questions about the situation which occurred or from past experiences, depression - is the stage of sadness, the time of longing to have back what we have lost. This stage can last for weeks, months or even years and can be the stage where someone who is grieving can get stuck and needs help to support them through the grieving process. The final stage is acceptance - this is where the pain of loosing someone begins to ease and the person grieving accepts what has happened and the person they have lost isn’t going to be around.
Grief comes in waves and we may never get over the death of someone, however, we can learn to live again, whilst keeping the memories of them around. We may also experience times of sadness again when it is an anniversary, a special time of year or special event which brings back the memory the person isn’t around to share this time with us.
National Grief Week helps challenge the stigma which surrounds grief and how we manage it. It helps raise awareness and encourages individuals to talk about their loss. The more we talk about grief and our loss the more we can learn to manage and deal with our sadness and emotions. This helps us through the natural five stages of the grief cycle.
If you are struggling, especially if you are finding it difficult to talk about your grief, you could try writing a letter to the person you have lost. This could be a letter, a poem, a short message or even a picture. Once completed you could burn the paper and place the ashes in a special place. (Please be careful and stay safe when using matches). Alternatively you could make a memory box. This could places all the special items, photos or objects which remind you of your loved one in a special box which you can treasure. Another suggestion is making a memory jar, which each layer of coloured salt represents a memory of that person. There are many more ideas but these are just a few to help you on your grieving process.
There are different ways in which you can participate in the National Grief Awareness Week. You could get involved by;
sharing personal stories - encourage others to share their experiences. This could be created either in writing, drawing or talking.
attend grief support events - these can provide information as well as groups of individuals who maybe struggling or can offer support.
being a good listener - sometimes, being able to listen without judgement, can be enough to help a friend or family member through their grief
raise awareness - use social media and other platforsm to share information about Natioanl Grief Awareness week
support Grief Organisations - by offering your time or making a contribution to support organisations who support others cope with their grief and loss.
For more information, you could visit The Good Grief Trust (https://www.thegoodgrieftrust.org/) one of many organisations you might be able to help you. Whatever your situation, remember to take care of yourself.